A Series of Truly Unfortunate Events
by MrMaximilian
Summary: It's not every day you suddenly wake up in the Hunter X Hunter Universe. Now, you're probably thinking: "Yawn, this is gonna be another fic where the OC is ridiculously overpowered and everyone falls in love with them, isn't it?" Sadly for me, that assumption was completely and utterly wrong. (Eventual M/M - Expect lots of sass.)
1. The Hunter exam?

A/N: Welcome to my fic! Just wanted to mention that this fic is being rated at M because there'll be smut and yaoi in future chapters. Right now it should really be a T rating because there's only swearing, but oh well! :P Hope you enjoy it!

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It's not every day you wake up in the Hunter X Hunter Universe. Now, you're probably thinking: "Yawn, this is going to be another fic where the OC is ridiculously overpowered and everyone falls in love with them, isn't it?"

Sadly for me, that wasn't the case.

My story begins with me lying in my perfectly normal bed in the real world, having a lovely dream about Togashi taking Hunter X Hunter off hiatus and everything being alright. Nothing that happens in dreams can affect you, right? I thought that was true, until my mind wandered and I found my dream self talking to the old woman who issued Gon and his friends the quiz before the hunter exam. I vaguely recalled that she never had a name, only being known as "quizzing lady" - how original. I stood in front of her booth, tapping my foot as I waited for something dramatic to happen.

"EXCITING TWO-CHOICE QUIZ!"

There was a belated fanfare from her masked accomplices as I continued to stare at her, not fazed by her sudden raise in voice. Considering I knew what was about to happen, her theatrics couldn't scare me in the slightest.

"I shall administer a single-question quiz which you have 5 seconds to answer. Give me the wrong answer, and I shall change your life's trajectory. Give me anything but the answer and you will be disqualified." She hid her expression behind her hands, simply looking at me with her squinted eyes. I rolled my shoulders in a shrug, silently commending myself for what could be an entertaining dream.

Scuffing the ground with my flat shoes, I nodded. "Sure, bring it."

A small horn tooted before she spoke, and I had to stifle a giggle.  
"Would you rather spend your life oblivious to the fact that the world was an illusion, or be the only one to know that you were all trapped in one?" Her right brow raised ever so slightly as I gawked back at her, mouth agape.

"Shit, that's a pretty deep question." My forehead creased as I considered it. It's always said that ignorance is bliss, and knowing the truth whilst not being able to convince anyone else would annoy the living hell out of me. But that would also assume I couldn't persuade others to see the truth too, and this wasn't addressed in the question. Maybe I could ask her?  
I cast my eyes up at her, not realising I'd been looking down as I thought.

"Can I clarify part of the question, please? It's too vague for me to answer." I chuckled nervously at her, wondering if my dream would end right then and there. I hoped not – I wanted to see where this went.

But she simply placed her hands on her lap, revealing a thin lipped smile as her eyes almost fully opened.

"You already gave me an answer, and it was wrong, so the question doesn't matter anymore." I blinked dumbly at her, confused. I hadn't given her an answer, what the hell was she talking about?

 _Oh,_ but I had.

"That wasn't an answer, that was just me telling you that I thought it was a deep question! Can I try again?" I mentally cursed myself for unknowingly speaking my thoughts aloud, remembering that she had explicitly stated that if I said anything but the answer, I was disqualified.

"No." she spoke flatly, and I sighed. This dream was going to be boring after all. I began to turn away from her, hoping this would prompt the next part of my dreams for the night, or simply wake me up.

"That's a shame. This was just getting fun too…" I mumbled. But then the pressure of a hand landing roughly on my shoulder caused my eyes to widen, realising one of her masked friends had grabbed onto me, pivoting me on my heels and forcing me to face her again.

Her tone was still dull as she spoke. "Now your destiny is irrevocably changed, take care." I scoffed at her, a smirk crossing my features.  
"Whatever, this is a stupid dream anyway." And with those words the narrow street was swallowed from my vision as I felt myself falling, consumed by an abyss as I tried to latch onto something. Great, one of those dreams that would jolt you awake.

I was right, for my whole body spasmed as my eyes snapped open. I let out a sigh as I rubbed my eyes, the harsh morning light piercing through my window. Was it morning already? I reached for my duvet, deciding to snuggle myself in it instead of facing the day ahead. Five minutes wouldn't hurt…

Except my hands made contact with something hard, and I wasn't lying down. I cursed as I whacked my hand against a plastic table, wondering if I'd managed to fall asleep at my desk. I peeked down at my hands for any damage before deciding to crawl to my bed. But the muscular tone of my fingers made me stop my automatic gestures, causing me to stare at them. Shit, they were larger too.

And I wasn't in my room, I was in a fucking elevator. And not just any elevator – it was the one I recalled from the Hunter Exam. Is this still part of the dream? I thought to pinch myself, hard -That's what my sister told me to do if you weren't sure you were dreaming. But when my fingers made contact with my skin, gripping it firmly, I let out a deep growl of pain. I realised I was no longer familiar with my own voice, wondering when my imaginary balls had dropped.

I was fairly sure I wasn't dreaming, and I probably looked as well as sounded like a dude.

Well, shit.

So like me, you probably knew what was going to happen next. I was going to follow the Hunter X Hunter storyline for goodness knows how long, and I would gain some amazing superpower that would entice me to either Gon's group and we'd all dance of into the sunset.

I was wrong, again.

Sometime between me leaving the elevator and instantly wanting to skulk into the dark areas of the tunnel, I'd been given the badge number #62. I wanted to cower away from everyone, or find a damn mirror so I could see how awful I looked. After briefly running my hands over my body in the elevator down, I realised I was _definitely_ a male now. No question about it.

And I swore I could mentally hear the flamenco music that started when the magician walked towards me. Repressing a sigh, I met his yellow eyes, who were glancing down at me in surprise.

"It's certainly a shock to see you here Ray-chan, I didn't think you needed a licence~" He drawled in his slightly seductive, but mainly predatory tone as one of his talons extended towards me. Hell no, I didn't want him touching me! I jumped back – as far as I could whilst being sandwiched between an elevator and a creepy clown who was at least a foot taller than me. His hand delicately raised to his lips to conceal his amusement at my reaction.

"What I'm doing here is none of your business." I decided to say in a level tone, unsure what my supposed relationship was with him. I was more concerned with the fact he knew my nickname, and he was staring down at me as if we were more than just friends, ick. Then again, that might be how he stared at everyone…

"Oh my, you're more nervous than usual~ you'll need that energy of yours to get through this exam. Bye for now!" He winked at me before immediately turning on his heel, casually gliding away as if nothing had happened. I didn't get the chance to catch the calculating gaze that had formed in his eyes as he went to talk to #301, who I remembered as Gittarackur. Guess I'd just avoid him for now until I figured out how the hell he knew me, or whoever he was mistaking me for.

I knew what was going to happen next, so I decided to ignore the events that proceeded: Hisoka taking the arms off somebody, Tonpa offering his poisoned juice, as well as Gon, Kurapika and Leorio's arrival. Instead I thought I'd use the opportunity to check out my new body. For some reason, I'd come into this world with a cellphone in the pocket of the grey boardshorts I was wearing, and I used its reflection to analyse my appearance. My once feminine face had become chiselled at the edges, gaunt cheekbones drawing into soft lips. My eyes were slightly slanted upwards, giving the impression that I was constantly looking down at other people. They were a light cerulean, a far cry from my once hazelnut orbs. Barely ear-length black hair was swept to one side, creating a fringe that obscured one of my eyes. Apart from that, I was wearing a black vest with matching trainers, with a nose ring sitting comfortably between my nostrils.

Great, I looked like a scene kid.

Stifling a snort, I flicked through the phone to see if anything was of interest. Sadly for me, it was completely empty apart from two contacts, one marked with a large love heart and the other with a needle emoji: Hisoka and Illumi. Weird.

The sound of hundreds of feet beginning to pound in the same direction drew me out of my stupor, causing me to immediately chase after the throng of people. I ducked my head as I searched for something else – _anything_ else in my pockets that would help me with the endless run ahead. I had no super speed or stamina. Hell, I didn't even know why I was here! So how was I going to run for so long? Now would be a good time for me to just suddenly remember I had some ridiculously overpowered ability that would let me finish this part of the exam.

I racked my brain for a few seconds, eyes squinting shut in concentration. Nope, nothing. Whoever threw me into this universe wasn't feeling merciful.

But the crop of flaming red hair caught my attention as a truly awful idea plagued my mind. It would be embarrassing, disgusting and humiliating, but it might just get me through the exam.

"Hey, Hisoka! How about giving me a piggyback 'til the end? I'll pay you back!" I asked sweetly, much to the aghast of everyone else around me, who all suddenly decided to give me a wide berth. Maybe I was insane, since I'd just told myself to stay away from him, but when the need arises…

"What a delightful idea~!"

Within seconds, strong arms wrapped themselves under my shoulders as I was hoisted onto the clown's back. Wow, he was suspiciously quick in taking me up on my offer. And my sinking suspicions were confirmed when I caught Hisoka's expression, unnervingly similar to a child about to eat his favourite food. I was going to owe him after this, wasn't I?

"You should have your legs around me more often, Ray-chan~"

Yup, I _definitely_ owed him.

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A/N: Thanks for reading so far! The following chapters will be longer since this is just an introduction! Hope you liked my story and feel free to leave any questions :)

~Max


	2. An Awkward Encounter

"Hey! You can't be on someone's back, that's cheating!" I heard Leorio yell as Hisoka continued to carry me. It had been around two hours, and they weren't kidding when they said the first phase took forever. The clown beneath me hadn't even broken a sweat, and I thought I may as well use this chance to study his face more closely. Contrary to my original belief, he didn't paint his whole body white, his skin really was an unnatural ivory- although the decorations on his face seemed to be delicately applied with costume makeup. Shit, Hisoka was probably better at makeup than I was…

I poked my tongue out at Leorio, deciding to mimic the words that Killua would've used earlier. "The examiner only told us to follow him; that's what I'm doing." I felt the small beginnings of a laugh travel up Hisoka's spine as the doctor's jaw dropped.

"You should still be running like the rest of us!" He insisted, and I considered teasing the boy even more; I had nothing to lose by being an asshole. Pretending to appear confused, I drew my index finger to my lips, cocking my head to one side.

"But why? It's not my fault if you couldn't think of anything to help you through the exam." Leorio's face contorted and scrunched into one of rage, choking on his own spit as he tried to respond, too frustrated to even form a coherent sentence.

"You shouldn't tease him like that." A voice said gently from behind Leorio's lanky body, and I was met with a pair of grey eyes. Oh yeah, Kurapika was here. I rubbed the back of my head nervously, instantly brandishing an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, I like to wind people up. I didn't mean it Leorio!" I said to try and pacify the raging teenager, who only huffed as he deliberately slowed down, wanting to leave my presence. Or maybe he was exhausted- either way I didn't particularly care. But Kurapika stayed a minute longer, gaze still lingering intensely on mine, eyes narrowing.

"How did you know his name?"

I did everything in my power to stop my smile from completely falling on the spot. Wow, I was a dumbass- I forgot I didn't actually _know_ these people. However it didn't stop me from responding chirpily, stretching my lips into a forceful smile as I jabbed a thumb in Gon and Killua's direction, who were only a few metres ahead of us.

"I heard you all talking at the start, you were pretty loud." I said sheepishly, not looking at Kurapika as I blatantly lied. It seemed to satisfy his curiousity though, as he didn't question me further.

"Well, since you know our names, what's yours?" He was looking over his shoulder, obviously concerned for his friend. I could see in his posture that he was itching to go back to his aid, and was only staying next to me and Hisoka to be polite. May as well put him out of his misery.

"I'm Ray, and you should go help your friend. Looks like he needs it." I spoke dismissively as Hisoka picked up his pace, causing me to feel like a limpet attached to his back; He was obviously bored with the conversation. Kurapika simply nodded and faded from my vision, and I focused on the end ahead of us, the tiny speck of light teasing me in the distance. However, it didn't capture my attention for long as I felt Hisoka's voice rumble lowly from his chest.

"You better not be thinking about taking my prey, because even as entertaining as you are, your next breath will be your last." He said so flippantly, causing me to dry swallow as I tried to catch a glimpse of his expression. He was completely stony-faced, no obvious emotion on his features. But I knew he was entirely serious. I tried to stifle the fear that had crept into my stomach as I simply grinned back at him.

"Nothing to worry about there. I don't particularly want to fight anyone." I admitted, watching as Hisoka's signature smirk formed on his lips, now bounding up the stairs ahead of us. Jesus, these people were superhuman or something.

"I understand. In your situation, I wouldn't want to reveal my abilities either." He murmured almost thoughtfully, and I hoped he couldn't feel me tense on his back.

 _Eh? What abilities?_ I almost asked, but something gnawed at me not to confess to my cluelessness at who people thought I was. The only thing I'd gathered so far was that I was still called Ray, which was originally short for Raven, but I didn't think that was my full name anymore. I was also a guy – which I didn't mind in the slightest- and I had some sort of ability (Maybe Nen?) that Hisoka knew of. Jeez, I was really starting to sound like a Mary Sue.

Luckily for me, Hisoka and I had reached the exit. He nonchalantly threw me off his back as if I'd just been an item of luggage. It didn't particularly bother me, apart from the fact it warranted some sniggers from the other applicants as I brushed the dust that had gathered on my grey shorts. I tried to remain oblivious to their whispers about my being here, my supposed "cheating", and the questions of how I was associated with the clown. After all, I was sure most of them were going to die anyway, so I felt no reason to give a shit.

Ignoring the cannon fodder for the next part of the phase, I decided to rest my back against an oak tree as I watched the other applicants arrive. I was offered a bottle of water from the dude in the pink turban – _Pokkle_ – which I gladly accepted. The kid certainly answered my question about how these people never seemed to eat or drink during the entire Hunter Exam and managed to survive.

I sensed two people walking up to me before I even looked at them, relief flooding through my muscles as I realised it was just Gon and Killua. Although I wasn't tall, I certainly stood at least a foot taller than the young pair, and this reassured me slightly. Gon's face was bright with childlike curiousity, whereas Killua regarded me with an air of wariness, probably dragged over here by his new friend.

"Hi! I'm Gon!" He began, holding out a hand. I grasped it lightly, realising that the kid had quite a grip on him already. It was not difficult to place a smile on my face as I introduced myself.

"I'm Ray, and you are Killua, right?" I asked as the green-haired boy released my hand, staring at me in surprise. "I overheard you talking." I quickly added, repeating the bluff I had said before to their other two companions.

"Yeah, that's me. How old are you?" He asked me, some of the hostility having melted away at the positive vibes that surrounded both me and Gon. I wasn't going to be mean to a bunch of kids for the sake of it, especially because I knew they were probably stronger than me.

"I'm 17, 18 in a month." I guessed, considering I'd been that age before I'd been rudely transported into this world. "So I'm a little older than you guys." The boys nodded in agreement, Gon rocking restlessly on his heels as he wanted to ask me more questions.

"And why do you want to become a Hunter?" I should've been expecting this question, really. I was hoping I could get by with some half-assed excuse for being here, hoping I wouldn't ever be probed for details until I perhaps made it to the final phase. I rolled my shoulders in a shrug, appearing blasé.

"I need it for my future." I said casually, watching as Gon was about to open his mouth to ask _even more damn questions_ before Satotz stopped him by closing the tunnel's exit. I snorted a little as a guy failed to get past the iron curtain, probably trapped in that tunnel forever.

And then the man-faced ape appeared, and I tried not to look bored as it felt like I was watching the anime all over again. I impatiently tapped my foot, wondering what I'd do to get through this next little part of the exam. It wasn't like I could ask Hisoka for a piggyback again, but maybe I wouldn't need to, considering it wasn't as long as the first phase. Following Satotz seemed like a bad idea, since I'd probably end up as swamp meat for whatever trap was ahead, so I may as well tag along with Kurapika and Leorio and then tail Hisoka back to the camp. I got the feeling that Hisoka wouldn't care if I followed him, although this would raise his interest in me further. Whatever, it wasn't like I had many options.

I'd been so spaced out that I'd missed the cards that had been launched both at Satotz and the imposter, as well as the _schwick_ of something nestling itself into the bark about an inch away from my head. My eyes lazily dragged to my left, noting an ace of clubs embedded into the tree's trunk. I stared boredly at Hisoka, who had obviously expected some other, probably faster reaction from me. I simply tugged the card out of its place and shoved it in my shirt pocket.

"I'll be keeping that, thanks babes." I joked at him, again rendering the examinees around me speechless as I openly sassed the magician. I wondered how long I could keep on being a little shit until I'd end up with a card sunk into my jugular. Most likely a little while longer, for Hisoka only winked at me playfully in response, as if this wasn't an uncommon occurrence between us. Interesting…

"Now everyone, follow me!" I decided to stand right beside Hisoka, with Kurapika and Leorio behind me and Gon and Killua just ahead. I could feel the static tension around Hisoka gather, as well as a small group of men beginning to circle him. It was funny- they thought they had a chance at besting the magician. I heard the high pitch of Gon's voice calling to Leorio as they had a small shouting match amongst the chaos. Weaving my body through the gaggle of angry men now crowding around Hisoka, I thought it better to remain on the fringes, but not too close to draw attention. I even stayed near them as we drifted from the group, the unnaturally thick fog causing us all to stray from the objective. The fog acted as a good cover as I realised we were approaching the clearing where the men would attempt to corner Hisoka. I picked up as much speed as my small legs would allow to sprint ahead to the designated spot, slowly scaling a tree to cover my presence. I hoped Hisoka's bloodlust would mean he wouldn't notice me watching the following exchanges, but I assumed that even if he did spot me that he wouldn't care.

And that's exactly what I did for the next hour or so – absolutely nothing but watch and wait. When Hisoka had slain the group of men in one fell swoop, I tried not to whistle in admiration. (It was much cooler to see it in person, okay?). Although the situation felt a hell of a lot creepier since I knew that Hisoka was thinking of Gon and Kurapika as unripened fruits as I stared at them, ick. Even when Hisoka straight out knocked Leorio into unconsciousness I remained in the trees, barely breathing as he hauled the guy over his shoulder. What was the point of me intervening anyway? It wasn't like Gon, Leorio or Kurapika were in actual danger at this moment. If I'd known Hisoka was going to seriously injure them, I might've tried in vain to stop or stall the magician. I then snorted silently to myself – as if I could do anything to help them. So I didn't bother revealing myself as Gon sauntered away, trying to find his way back. I expected Hisoka to set off, having been given the directions to the Second Phase.

But he didn't. Instead, he looked over his shoulder and stared right at where I was hiding, an amused, _predatory_ smile on his face.

"Oh Ray~ I think you should pay me back for the ride earlier." He said, poisoning the words to make them sound incredibly lewd, as if I'd ridden his-

Let's not think about that.

I jumped from the tree, dusting myself off as I landed on the grass with a soft thump. I was wary as I remained at least a metre away from him, even though the sense of safety I got from the distance was definitely an illusion; I knew he could just slit my throat before I could even open my mouth. Scepticism was laden in my voice as I spoke.  
"What do you want?"

"No need to be so suspicious, I just want to ask you a few questions." He turned to face me, posture open as the corners of his lips still remained twitched into a smile.

"Sure, okay." I was expecting it to be a lot worse, considering he was a pervert. Wait, this shouldn't be so easy, there must be a catch to this…

And that's when the playfulness fell from his face, his mask of mischief completely dissolving. It was in that moment that I truly saw the cold-blooded killer in front of me, eager to rip my throat out at a moment's notice.

"Why are you impersonating Ray?"

My heart seized in my chest, throat burning raw as the words hit my ears.

Fuck, _he knew._

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A/N: Thanks for the follows so far! They mean a lot to me :)  
Hisoka already figured out something was wrong with Ray.. don't underestimate the magician!

The chapters shall be longer from here on out - this just seemed like a good place to stop!  
~Max


	3. Magicians are creepy

"Why are you impersonating Ray?"

"I'm honestly not! It's just that-" I stopped myself mid-sentence. _It's just that I was transported into a fictional world and have no idea what I'm doing here?_

Hisoka closed the distance between us, pressing a card into my neck. "Hm? Speak up." A bead of cold sweat trailed down my cheek. He would know I was lying if I tried to fabricate something, what do I do?

"H-How did you know I wasn't Ray?" I admitted in a meek voice, placing a small amount of curiosity in my tone. I knew Hisoka liked to play with his food before he killed it, maybe he'd humour me. I desperately needed every second I could buy…

A triumphant smirk lit his features as he used his free hand to count off the reasons, his long fingers extending languidly. "One, you haven't used zetsu since you got here, and the real Ray wouldn't miss a chance to practice his stealth against me. Two, Ray would not surrender his pride for a piggyback ride, even if it meant failing the Hunter Exam. Three, Ray loves to fight, and you're just a coward." He was now holding three fingers up, watching the colour drain from my face as he continued.

"Four, whilst you mimic his feistiness _ever_ so well, you were obviously scared of me when we first spoke. No amount of acting could hide it. And finally, you wouldn't be here without your brothers." I stared at him blankly as he wiggled his fingers, impressed he managed to figure all of this out. He seemed to know Ra- _Me_ incredibly well, but the personality he described was nothing like mine. This Ray was bloodthirsty, whereas I wouldn't hurt anyone here, even though I knew they were all fictional.

Shit, I hadn't thought of a plan.

I'd been mesmerised by the way his supple fingers had raised as he numbered his deductions, how his gold eyes held mine in their intense gaze, heat blossoming in my chest. I could've sworn he was undressing me with those eyes, stripping down to my very core and exposing the imposter that I was, ready to strike at any second. I dry swallowed, feeling the razor sharp edge of the card nick my skin as my throat bobbed.

"To tell you the truth," I began numbly, my voice coming out thick yet raspy. "I woke up in the elevator to the Exam with no idea who I was. All I know is that I am called Ray and I need to pass this exam at any cost." I spoke slowly, admitting as much as I could without endangering myself too much. Ever since I had arrived, I'd had the hollowing, oddly fatalistic sensation in my stomach which spurred my survival instincts into overdrive. It told me that failing this exam would be signing my death warrant. I hadn't had the time to dwell on the feeling until now, as Hisoka took a small step back to consider my words.

"You're hiding something from me, but you aren't lying…" He placed his hands on his hips, lowering the deadly card and cocking his head to one side as he evaluated me. "Do you honestly have no memories of who you were? Of _Us?"_ A sly smile drew across his lips as the words practically dripped off his tongue. Rose instantly flushed my cheeks: I knew exactly what he was implying.

"N-no I don't!... did we? –I mean, d-did we, you know…?" I was totally mortified as his tongue darted out to wet his lips, an unmistakable lust clouding his honey coloured eyes.

"You're so easy to fluster, it's so exciting~" He cooed, and I resisted the urge to slap myself. Of course he was fucking with me, that's what Hisoka did.

"Asshole." I muttered at him, sticking my lip out in a childish pout. He used his hand to cover his mouth, body quivering with laughter.

"I do believe you're Ray, at heart." He finally said after seeing my immature gestures. "You seem to have amnesia, but I was wrong before: you're definitely Ray." I blinked at him, confused at the sudden change of tone. I guessed some of my actions reminded him of the Ray in this world? I resisted the urge to roll my shoulders in a bewildered shrug.

"I could fill you in on some of your memories, since we spent a lot of time in each other's company…" I would've agreed, had he not been staring at me as if I was naked, a perverted grin stretched across his lips. "But it'll come as a price~" his voice dropped an octave as I suppressed a shiver at his sultry tone. I simply could not comprehend how Hisoka managed to be incredibly seductive yet terrifying at the same time. I had to give him credit: he had the aesthetic down to a polished point.

I shook my head in refusal, disappointment tugging at his features. "A shame… I guess it's time for my other payment then~"

"Wh-!?" The start of my question was silenced as my whole body pounded on impact with something hard behind me, breath forced out of my lungs. But it wasn't the fact that I'd been shoved into a tree that had my attention, it was the fact that _Hisoka was kissing me._

And he wasn't exactly being gentle either. Flashes of pain shot up my sides as firm hands gripped into my waist, digging into the soft flesh. He'd used my confusion to expertly manoeuvre his tongue into my mouth, massaging my lips with his. Everything about it felt sinfully good, mind fully aware that I was indulging in something I shouldn't. He pressed his strong body against mine, demanding I yield to his domineering touch, but I refused to become weak-kneed at his skilful movements. However, this didn't mean I wasn't enjoying the effort. Because damn, he was _good._

So I bit down on his lower lip – hard. I was sure it had been enough to draw blood, to make the magician back off, but instead he smirked into the kiss, delving deeper and feeling the coppery taste of blood settling on my tongue as he refused to halt. Sighing internally, I tapped on his shoulders weakly ( _since when were my arms wrapped around him?)_ and he took an easy step back, eyes travelling up and down at my flustered appearance. I was sure I would've been beet red if it wasn't the fact I was kinda pissed off.

"That was rude, taking advantage of an amnesiac." I muttered at him, shoving my hands in my short pockets and letting out a huff. I seemed relatively composed, considering I'd just had a serial killer try and suck my face. I guess being pulled into a fictional universe really changes you. I tried my best not to snigger to myself.

"It's not often I see you with such a vulnerable, lost look. I just had to~" He drawled, holding my stare with one of his own before something beeped in his pocket. He spoke quickly, almost barking his response as he hauled the unconscious Leorio over his shoulder. Starting to walk away, his strides were purposeful until he peeked over his shoulder at me, gesturing for me to follow.

"I'll help you get to the second phase site, but nothing more. It'll be more fun to see you figure yourself out on your own." He mused to himself, causing my forehead to crease into a frown. Of course he wouldn't help me, I didn't expect anything else from him.

"You won't even give me a hint?" I mock pouted, batting my eyelids at him. He shrugged, Leorio's body shaking on his shoulder as he manhandled the guy. The wannabe doctor was going to feel awful after this, eek.

"You should use your hands more often, but I cannot say anything more. You're not mine to play with." He said with what seemed to be sadness and disappointment in his tone. Wait, what? I wasn't his to play with? Did this mean I was under the watch of someone else? Just great…

Hisoka didn't open his mouth again after his comment, and I reluctantly trudged behind him to the exam site. Although I didn't want to look like I was stalking Hisoka to the other examinees, it wasn't like I had much of a choice. I'd rather appear as Hisoka's boy toy – or something worse- to other people than get lost and eaten in the Wetlands. When I saw the walled area that would host the next exam and the gaggle of people gathered around it, I broke into a sprint. I would at least try and seem like I'd done something by myself.

Breathing heavily, I sagged against the tree as I allowed myself to finally relax my muscles for a precious few seconds. The only thing I knew that was happening next was that Gon would arrive with Kurapika, and then the next phase would finally begin.

I barely noticed when Hanzo slid down next to me, holding his wrapped wrists close to him as he clearly stared at me, brows furrowing as he considered my appearance. The beginnings of recognition began to form in his eyes before he even spoke to me. I tried not to groan – do I not get a damn minute where people don't bombard me with questions?

"I know you." He stated flatly, but there was an undeniable curiosity to his voice as he leaned even closer, inspecting my face. I was relieved that one of my blue eyes was covered by my fringe, disguising some of my blatant annoyance.

"Sure you do, I've been taking this exam too." I said boredly, picking at my fingernails and trying to ignore his excessive scrutinisation. Had this guy ever heard of personal space?

"That's not what I meant. I know you from outside the exam, don't I?" He insisted.

"Nope." I saw his face fall slightly, but unfortunately it wasn't enough to deter him. He grabbed my shoulders, tightening his palms around them.

"No, I definitely do!" I scowled at him now, resisting the urge to spit at him.

"Listen, I know you're strong, but if you keep your hands on my shoulders I will make sure they're the last thing they ever touch." I'd had the hunch that if Hanzo knew me, it was because he knew me as some sort of monster, or at least as a minor threat to him. My instinct was right, as he blanched a little, familiarity filling his features.

"S-Sorry." He muttered, unlike the proud ninja. "I remember now, nice to see you again." He said, recovering from his stutter and waving at me casually as he sauntered away, completely composed.

What the fuck was that about?

Trying not to scream, I wandered into the next area, eyeing the cooking areas warily. I'd almost forgotten about this part of the exam. Time for me to fail with everyone else, right? Well, I'd have to kill a pig first, but what was the point if it wasn't going to please Menchi anyway?

And it was with that thought that I simply sat on the bench they'd provided us behind my oven, twiddling my thumbs and watching everyone else run into the forest. When the exam area was completely abandoned, the green-haired Hunter was talking rather loudly to Buhara, until he caught my eye. He stared at me confused.

"Aren't you going to get me some pork? I'm starving!" He whined, and I simply gave them a tight-lipped smile.

"I can see in Menchi's eyes that nothing I cook will be delicious enough for me to pass. Call it an instinct if you like, but I can also see the same happening to the rest of the examinees. I thought I'd just wait it out and get to know you two better." I stuck my thumbs out at them in approval. "I personally think Gourmet Hunters are really brave, and I'm not just saying that to butter you up; I already know I've failed." Mechi stared at me, shock crossing her features as she regarded me carefully, almost with suspicion. But Buhara was laughing, rubbing the back of his head with his huge palm.

"Gee Menchi, he has you all figured out!" She huffed, leaning back in her chair and folding her arms.

"He's right, though. It'll take a lot to impress me. That doesn't mean you should've given up, Kid. What kind of Hunter doesn't even try?" She had a point, but I didn't let it faze me. I wasn't giving up, I was just waiting for the next phase and didn't see the point in wasting my time catching a pig she wouldn't eat.

I still smiled at the pair, hearing the low thunder of footsteps heading in our direction; the other examinees must've been coming back already. "I haven't given up, I'll prove myself to you soon enough."

She glared at me, still bewildered. Menchi was obviously considering what sort of game or plan I had in mind, and couldn't work out why an examinee would act so arrogant when they were obviously going to fail.

Shrugging it off, she watched as the others began cooking their pigs. I felt eyes burning into the back of my head and sure enough, Hisoka had taken the station behind me, also confused at my lack of effort. I simply winked at him, placing my hands on my lap smugly and refusing to move another inch. Everything about my demeanour screamed _I know something you don't._ I tried not to snicker at the dark, borderline murderous scowl I received in response.

And just as expected, everyone failed. Menchi couldn't help but spare a glance at me as she explained this fact, silently admitting that I had been right before she'd even made her mind up. Since that challenge didn't count for anything, she couldn't disqualify for lack of trying. I felt pretty fucking proud of myself as we arrived at Mt. Split-In-Half, but that soon faded as I realised what was going to happen now, replacing my pride with a deep and inescapable sense of fear.

We would all jump onto a spider web which would be a millisecond away from snapping completely - And that wasn't including my weight. It could be possible that if I went with everyone else, I would be consigning us all to our certain death. It was lucky that Gon, Kurapika, Killua and Leorio had made it out alive in the first place. I could go afterwards, but what if all the eggs were gone by then, or all the threads holding them up snapped? I wouldn't get a chance to complete the phase.

Unless…

I cut Menchi's explanation short, just as her toes curled over the edge, limbs poised and ready to jump. She had to physically stop herself wobbling as I piped up in an innocent voice.

"Mind if I show them instead? I'll even grab an extra egg for you!" I was already sauntering over to the cliff's edge, as if I wasn't about to probably leap eagerly to my death. Who knows, I could have the grip strength of a titan and I'd be totally fine. Besides, this was the only option besides failure.

The other examinees stared at me with expressions that were either horrified, confused or delighted. Clearly they all thought I was going to die too. Does nobody have faith in adolescents around here? I wasn't _that_ weak looking…

And with a surprised nod from Menchi, I didn't think twice as my feet lost contact with the earth. I jumped.

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the delay! I have returned to uni so conquering my writer's block was hard. There are more chapters on the way!

Now that i've finally passed the bit i personally find boring, things will get more interesting as Ray discovers himself!  
Thank you all for the follows, reviews and favourites - they keep me going and they mean the world to me! :)  
~Max


	4. Trick Tower sucks

"Ray-Mmph, I can't believe you did that!" Gon mumbled through chews, humming in delight at the heavenly taste that came from the eggs. I didn't blame him – when I'd began cooking mine my stomach automatically purred into life. But it had taken most of my resolve to simply let go of the spider web when I'd reached the location of the eggs. Despite me knowing there was a breeze at the time, and that it was as easy as being carried back up to the top of the mountain, I still clung to the web for dear life. It went against my every instinct to literally take the plunge; but I'd done it.

"Yes, I'm very impressed Ray, how did you know what to do?" Kurapika eyed me as he carefully nibbled at his food, his expression an equal measure of awe and suspicion. I laughed at the group lightly, shrugging my shoulders as if I hadn't almost been crippled by fear.  
"I've done stuff like this before, no biggie." Leorio stared at me wide-eyed, a muffled "EHHH?" falling from his lips, along with a mouthful of food and spilling onto the floor. Gross.

"Wow! You're so cool!" Gon said in his usual high-pitched and excited tone. I smiled back at him, turning my attention to the huge airship that was readying to take off with the applicants who'd had the balls to grab a dream egg.

And yes, there is a time skip here. Why? Becsause well, nothing interesting happened whilst I was on the airship. Nobody tried to corner me, mock me or kill me. I had a funny feeling this was the only respite I'd get from here on out. After all, I'd somehow made it to the third phase purely from piggybacking off Hisoka and using my knowledge of what was going to come. And I bet it'd be far too convenient for me to end up in a group of 5 in Trick Tower with Gon and his friends. I'd have to go through the tower alone with no idea what was going to happen. This was enough to make me swear multiple times before I decided to finally sleep, in a room as far away from the other applicants as possible.

* * *

I was right: Trick Tower was hell.

Not only had I watched the four people who I vaguely consider friends disappear in front of me – along with my chances of an easy ride through this phase- I'd also found a trapdoor that lowered into a room the size of a box. There was absolutely nothing in this brick room apart from a candle which cast a dim view of the area. It shone light on a small plaque, which only read:

 _Two Together; memories unveil._

Great. I was stuck here waiting for someone? It wasn't going to be Hisoka (sadly), if I was going off what happened in the anime, so I guess anyone could've fallen down this hole next to me, if that's what the inscription meant.

I whistled a soft tune, sliding my back against one of the walls and groaning internally. This was going to be so god damn boring. But luckily for me, I didn't have to stay still for long. It was with a clack and a mechanic jerk that a robotic figure came tumbling through the second opening. The person dusted themselves off in erratic movements, assessing their surroundings before their eyes settled on mine. If his eyes could widen in surprise, they would've.

"Yo, Illumi." I cheerily called out to the pin-clad man, smirking as he tried to glower at me. I didn't know if the Ray before me was aware of Gittarackur's true identity, so I thought I'd out him anyway. It'd save me from any future fuck ups. With that, the assassin pulled the pins out of his face, morphing back into his normal figure. Damn, he really did have such long hair…

"Ray, I thought you'd be with my little brother. You seem rather fond of him already." His dark orbs held plenty of malice as he towered over me. Considering I hadn't bothered to stand up, I simply looked up at him with no fear whatsoever.

"Nah, you're the cuter one." I said off-handedly, trying to get a rise out of the older Zoldyck. Unfortunately, he didn't even stir at my comment, simply moving onto the topic of the plaque.

"Looks like we're completing the tower together. Don't get yourself killed; I don't want to retake this exam because of your failure." I jumped to my feet, following behind him as the walls finally parted to reveal a long and narrow path. It seemingly had no end in sight, the route descending into darkness the further I tried to look.

"Who says I'd be the one that gets us to fail? Asshole…" I muttered, beginning to walk in front of him to wander down the ominous path. However, his hand on my shoulder stopped me dead in my tracks.

"Hisoka told me about your amnesia, I could fix that for you." He offered rather bluntly, in which I violently shook my head. No way did I want Illumi fucking with my brain and shoving needles into my body. I was more than eager to tell him this as his face fell slightly in disappointment.

"That's a shame. I could've done with you being indebted to me." He murmured, more to himself. I'm pretty sure a vein was bulging out of my head at this point.

"Well you can go fu-" I stopped mid-sentence as my whole body was slammed into a wall, hard. For a moment I thought Illumi had gotten mad with me and thrown me out of his path, but no. I was bunched up against an invisible wall, which seemed to have no texture to it apart from being completely unyielding under my weight. How were we supposed to get past this?

"Boring!" Illumi declared, throwing his razor-like needles at the obstacle. Instead of shredding whatever material this barrier was made of, they simply sailed right through it and rolled off the edge into what I assumed was a large chasm. He cursed for losing some of his precious ammo. I scratched my head, staring blankly at Illumi as he glared back at me impatiently.

"Go on then, try using Banshee." I blinked at him, questions written all over my features as he tried not to groan in frustration. I was costing him time.

"You've forgotten your nen? That explains a lot, your aura is a mess." I tried not to scowl at him as I wondered how the hell I was going to break the wall in front of us. What even was Banshee? What was I meant to be doing?

I felt the warm, pricking sensation of metal against my skin as Illumi darted forwards, snaring me in his grip and placing a needle against my neck. Shit, he was actually threatening me? I could feel his dark aura swarm over me in pure hatred and disgust as he pressed the needle further, coating it in my blood.

"If you can't use Banshee to break this wall on your own, I'll alter your memories until you can and I make you my slave." He hissed, clearly angered by his reliance on me in this moment and my need to gather my nen together. I remembered what Wing said to Gon and Killua about imagining and taming your aura, but it was an entirely different thing to actually try it. I swore, and he began to count down.

"Three…"

I felt an energy enveloping my skin, and I realised it was my own. Good, I was aware of it, but couldn't quite harness it yet, there was still hope.

"Two…."

Sweat beaded down my cheeks as I tried to mentally reach for it, capture it before it wisped away from my body. It was moving too fast, how was I supposed to gather this? This is so difficult!

"One…"

I was almost out of time, I was fucked. I was _so fucked_ , there was no way I could simply master nen in a matter of seconds and destroy the barrier in front of me. I'd gotten too arrogant from my previous successes and I'd forgotten that I was just a normal fucking teenager. I had no power of my own, and my aura was dwindling faster than I could monitor it. I'd opened my aura nodes, but nothing more. I didn't have enough time.

"Time's up."

As the needle buried itself into my neck, I screamed.

I screamed in frustration, in despair as I knew that this moment would be my last as a conscious being. My knowledge of future events had been useless, and I was just useless. Normal people weren't cut out for this exam; I'd never had a chance. As soon as I'd found myself in the elevator, I should've ran somewhere, _anywhere_ that wasn't here and taking this god-forsaken exam. And worst of all, I hadn't even made it to the interesting part of the exam.

So I screamed, I cried and yelled with all the force my voice could muster. The scratching of the needle was carving the skin on my neck, pulses of agony shooting through my veins as Illumi dug at my jugular.

But then the wall shattered.

Like glass, the barrier splintered into shards, littering the floor around my feet and nestling into my black hair. It just suddenly collapsed, as if all the force behind it had been completely quashed.

Had I…. done that?

I didn't feel any different as the needle was removed from my skin, and I immediately held a hand to my neck to stop the bleeding. The wound was small, attacking a very specific point on my body, but it still fucking hurt.

"Fascinating!" He clapped his hands together after cleaning his needle and shoving it back into his shirt. "Your body still remembers nen. I thought extreme duress would bring it out in you."

"Bullshit." I spat, wanting to fucking pummel the guy in front of me. Knowing me, I'd end up breaking both of my hands before I even made him feel a ghost of pain. "You were going to kill me, don't try and lie to me."

A small chortle escaped Illumi's thin lips as he neatly stepped over the fragments of glass. "You're right." I flipped the bird at his back as I reluctantly followed.

"If you ever try and kill me again, I'll use my other abilities to cripple you." I warned, glowering at the taller man's back, whose body only responded in an amused quiver.

"You don't even know what they are." He countered flatly.

"I have an inkling." I shrugged even though he couldn't see it. After all, I was telling the truth- Banshee gave me many hints on what my other abilities would be like. I wasn't 100% certain what they were yet, but I knew I'd find out soon enough. My memories of nen were just sitting underneath the surface now…

He didn't dignify my comment with a response, gliding ahead now. My body felt oddly warm, soothed by the strangely familiar presence that seemed glued to my skin, bending and warping to my movements in an eternal dance. Could I really feel nen now?

"Keep up." Illumi barked, ripping me out of my thoughts and sending me running after the assassin.

If I thought it couldn't get any worse, I was so wrong.

* * *

After what seemed like forever, with me panting and wheezing horridly when we finally came to a stop, we were met with two prisoners of the tower. They were instructed to stop us by any means necessary, and any delays they caused would reduce their sentences. Their only limit was that they could not attack us simultaneously; this would be a duel.

Illumi rolled his eyes in boredom, simply walking forwards and ripping one of the prisoner's hearts out and throwing it into the hands of the other. A horrified gape formed on the prisoner's features, expecting his impending demise as I turned to face him.

"Y-You-"I began, still trying to catch my breath. "Can surrender now… or die." He didn't seem to take my threat seriously, despite the fact he was still holding his comrade's heart in his hands, the blood dribbling down his arms. A snort came out of his lips.

"You're just a kid! I could overpower you using just one fist." Dropping the heart with a small _squelch,_ he howled with laughter. I raised a bored eyebrow at him, making eye contact with Illumi who was standing behind the man.

He didn't need another moment to move.

I felt my aura surge around me, heeding eagerly to my call. My fingers trembled as surges and jolts of power gathered in my fingertips. My forgotten muscles were keen to be flexed again as I wondered if I didn't need my mouth to use banshee. After all, I was emitting my aura into sound pulses, and my mouth was only one potential medium. The energy could barely be contained as it grew white hot in my palms, threatening to strip and sear the skin from my muscles. It felt so raw and potent that I could barely target it in the prisoner's direction.

I let it go.

It was like the man was assaulted by the air in multiple directions, his body crumpling at the impact and dense pressure of the sound waves. His face contorted for a brief second as he staggered back, but he did not collapse. Blood trickled out of his lips, and I couldn't help but stare as it beaded gently down his chin, staining his white vest. His mouth parted into a yellowed grin.

"Is that it? Think I'll fall over with some air, kid?"

My stomach pitted as he took a step towards me, realising my banshee had done no obvious damage apart from a little bleeding. I braced my arms into an X in front of me, planning to defend my head and neck as he closed the distance between us. But as he reached to grab my shirt, his body crumpled, puckering at the waist. Spouts of crimson foamed at his lips as his eyes strained to meet mine. They were beady, bloodshot, barely contained in their sockets as they bulged. The expose to the pressure had crippled him from inside out. He missed me by inches as he collapsed forward, raspy gurgles filling the room. I could hear his chest heave in desperation.

"So the exposure to the dense sound waves caused his body to buckle on itself, as if it tried to adapt to the sudden pressure change, resulting in his major arteries bursting. That wa-" I barely caught sight of Illumi's body covered in _ken_ as his silhouette blurred at the edges. My eyes were fixated on the sparks of life that were dulling in the man's irises, whilst the surprise remained frozen on his features. I couldn't help but reach out, feeling the cooling, sticky blood coating my fingers as I touched it to my lips. It caused my heart to skip in an unusual way, stirring my chest as butterflies woke and fluttered in my body. Tingles of excitement sped up my spine and I couldn't resist a small shudder.

And it definitely wasn't out of guilt.

An overwhelming force of exhaustion ploughed into me as my body curled over beside the fresh corpse, spiralling unconsciousness dragging me away from the fragments of pride I felt about my victory. Strong arms secured me as my vision faded, and I swore I heard the faintest whisper reach my ears before I was robbed of my consciousness.

" _I'll definitely keep you…"_

* * *

A/N: I hope you're all enjoying the story so far! Hisoka's being a pervert, Illumi's being creepy... it only gets better from here! :)

Thank you all so very much for the reviews and follows. I'm glad people are actually reading this and commenting on what they think! (They mean a lot to me :D )

Until next time!  
~Max


	5. Questionable Alliances

A/N: -cringes- it was 3am when i accidentally uploaded the same chapter twice. Sorry about that! here's the actual chapter five :')

* * *

"Contestant #301, Gittarackur, is second to pass the third phase. Contest #62, Ray, is third to pass the third phase."

I blinked blearily as Illumi unceremoniously dumped me onto the floor. My joints creaked, dull aches tremoring through my body. Looking up, I watched him wander over to Hisoka, sitting beside him and entering a clearly heated discussion. Sometime between me passing out and now, Illumi had replaced his disguise, body clicking as he hunched over the other man. I couldn't help but feel uneasy as they continued their hushed and fervent whispering.

I peeked over at Hanzo as he confidently strode in, face beaming until he realised that three of us were already here. I decided to go and chat to him, which caused the incessant buzz of whispers to increase. He raised a curious brow as I stood beside him, hands shoved in my pockets.

"You made it here so fast on your own, I'm impressed." I said coolly, a proud smile lighting up his features.

"I'm ashamed I didn't beat you or #44 to the finish line, but this was no challenge for me!" He then acknowledged what I said, frowning.

"Wait, you didn't do this alone? Were you with Hisoka this entire time?" He pouted, clearly questioning the fairness of the phase. But I was more than eager to correct him in the fact that no, I didn't get another free ticket from Hisoka.

I jabbed my thumb at the robotic figure. "I was with him, actually. He's a creepy pain in the ass." Hanzo laughed rather obviously, causing the other pair to cease their muttering and stare openly at us. I was a bit annoyed he'd been so loud, considering what I said wasn't that funny…

"I've missed hanging out with you Ray!" He heartily slapped me on the back, much to the chagrin of myself as well as the two mentally shooting daggers at us. I smiled back the ninja however, slightly confused.

"Say, how about we stay together for the next phase?" I blinked, actually considering the offer. I still couldn't comprehend why he was being so nice to me, or how he actually knew me. But it couldn't hurt to team up with someone as strong as he was? He didn't seem like the type to set up traps or to knowingly deceive people. He was a ninja, but he was definitely an honest person – that much I could gather from his character.

The only problem would be if I was unlucky enough to pick his tag in the fourth phase, and in that case I would assume all bets and alliances were off.

"Sure, but there's something you should know." He cocked his head to one side, interested.

"I…"I began, actually unsure how to admit my amnesia to someone who wasn't threatening me. "I'm a different person to who you think I am." I said vaguely, a frown creasing his forehead. Considering the truly soul-chilling glare I was receiving from Hisoka, and how the whole room seemed to drop to freezing temperatures, I suddenly thought that it might be better to keep my mouth shut until I could trust someone. After all, Hanzo was a blabbermouth about his own secrets, why would he keep mine?

He looked clearly confused, expecting me to elaborate. When I remained silent, he responded with an uneasy "Okay then…. That doesn't bother me!" However, he didn't sound so sure. I had no choice to shrug it off, knowing I needed all the companions I could get for the next phase. I wasn't as strong as the others, I'd have to play this extremely carefully.

I fell into a contemplative silence, achingly curious about why the hell Illumi and Hisoka were _still_ talking about me as they sent overt glances in my direction. What were they, schoolkids? They sure knew how to rile me up.

"Let's have a competition Hanzo, it'll pass the time!" His eyes sparked to life, excitement filling his features. I took his eagerness as a sign to continue.

"I probably won't win, but let's do a press-up challenge. Whoever gives up first has to grab the other one food! Consider it training." He snorted, gracefully dropping to the floor in a press up position as he looked up at me.

"Please, Ray. You know I can do this in my sleep! But I'll happily kick your ass." I laughed a little, bending my small frame into the same position, taking a moment to clip my fringe back.

I was doing this for fun, but it served another purpose too.

I slowly exhaled, my aura rousing as it deftly coated my arms and chest only, directing all of my strength into these spots as I made a signal to begin.

Hanzo was lightning quick, efficient with every stroke and push of his muscles. I couldn't help but lick my lips at the pure determination on his face. He wasn't even faltering, yum.

I steeled myself to my own task, pushing my body weight like pebbles as it cleanly touched the floor before rising with ease again. I soon settled into a rhythm, refining my aura so it was less directed at my hands and more to my chest. If I had to gauge the distribution of aura, I'd say 80% of my energy was being channelled into my torso, keeping my breathing steady.

"We'll be doing this for hours, Ray." He reminded me, keeping his head up and speaking to me at the same time. That must've taken a lot of strength.

"I am aware." I grinned back, unable to meet his gaze as I was focusing on maintaining my aura. It wasn't the press-ups themselves that were hard, it was the concentration I needed for my nen, sweat beginning to bead on my forehead as I estimated about 20 minutes had passed. Hanzo was showing no signs of fatigue.

We remained silent for the next 40 minutes, before my ren finally stuttered, leaving open patches on my body where my aura was bleeding out. All my strength seemed to leave me with the tiniest putter as I narrowly avoided face-planting the floor. My arms were spasming, unable to bear my weight anymore. I used the rest of my energy to block the flow of my aura, plugging the gaping holes exposing me to the cold air. It felt weird not to have a coating around my skin.

Hearing me flop, Hanzo swiftly jumped to his feet again, dusting himself off. He didn't even look fazed.

"You lasted longer than the last time we did this, but you still got nothing on me!" He jabbed a thumb at himself, triumph oozing off his features. My whole body trembled as I staggered to my feet, trying to compose myself. I smirked at him, half-bitter but awed at his endurance.

"I know, I know. What food do ya want?" I wandered over to the food cart, trying to ignore the bright spots dancing in the corner of my vision. The sudden headrush was almost enough to send me toppling to the floor again. But at least by this point, the gossip had stopped and I simply grabbed something to eat for Hanzo and myself.

This was our little ritual whilst we waited for the exam to end. I even stared at the wall that Gon and his friends would appear through when the counter came down to the final minute, grinning with delight as they tumbled through.

"Told you they'd make it." I murmured to Hanzo, who just stared at me with shock, clearly annoyed he'd predicted wrong.

"Aw yay! Ray made it too!" Thin arms wrapped around my waist as a gasp was forced from my body, peering down and realising I was encompassed into a hug. I wrinkled my nose down at the boy who I was around a foot taller than, wrinkling my nose at him.

"Of course I did, silly. I'm stronger than I look." I offered with a smile, in which Hanzo snorted not-so-quietly at my comment. Gon's eyes sparked to life as he began to tell me how he'd made it through Trick Tower.

I really tried my best not to look bored, and I widened my eyes at the dramatic points and asked incredulous questions like "Wow! Really?" "And then what?" whilst trying to be as believable as possible. It was pretty dull to hear about something you'd already seen before. I listened to him blabber as we all slowly plodded outside, seeing Lippo with what I had already named the box of death.

When the hunter with the Mohawk finally finished his arduous explanation, I waited for Illumi to pick his number before casually wandering over to the box. A small beep came as I fumbled around in the box, deciding to take my time. I could hear people tutting behind me as I considered that this damn box could jeopardise my success. What if I managed to pick a main character's card, changing the storyline from here on out? I would be well and truly fucked. As for the side characters – well, most of them were going to die anyway so I didn't care if I got them. Although I'd be watched this entire phase, if I could corner someone I could just expose them to banshee without pissing any of the examiners off for revealing nen too early. I didn't have the luxury of superior combat skills like Hisoka and Illumi anyway; this is how I'd have to do it.

As soon as I gripped onto one near the bottom of the box, I jumped back into a corner and eagerly ripped off the red covering. I'd already pinned my tag on the inside of my vest, just to make it more awkward for others to try and grab it from me.

"Hey! I didn't say you could do anything with the cards yet!" Lippo shouted at me in indignation, but I just shrugged my shoulders at him.

"You never said we couldn't."

He had no retort for that.

A wave of relief crashed over me as I saw whose number I got: #118.  
It wasn't anyone who instantly rang a bell, so that must've been a good thing. I realised it was even better when the dude with the monkey was still wearing the very tag I was tasked to seize. He'd get caught out by Kurapika and Leorio and tied up. All I'd have to do is snatch the guy's tag or simply ask the pair for it before sneaking off again. Maybe I could do an Illumi and just hide myself in a dirt hole for the rest of the week.

I mentally slapped myself. That wouldn't work – they'll use his tag as a bargaining chip against Hisoka. The fact that Hisoka needs it to pass is going to be a huge thorn in my side. Guess I'll have to change the chain of events before they can actually happen.

But how?

I groaned quietly as we all boarded the boat, choosing to sit by myself and hide my head between my knees as I thought. I had the amazing gift of foresight right now, I couldn't waste this opportunity to get me through this exam. As long as things go as I expect them to, I could get away with getting my target's tag and still ensure Hisoka didn't kill the protagonists. Although their lives currently didn't matter to me much – I needed events to go as planned so I could also survive the final phase and get a licence without having to fight. The gut churning instinct that compelled me to do nothing but succeed was still a very formidable presence in my mind. Something told me that if I don't pass, I'll die here. And I hadn't got to the fun bits of the story yet, as much fun as being sucked into a deadly universe could be anyway.

A plan formed in my mind, and I hoped to hell that it would work. I was kind of disappointed that it wouldn't involve Hanzo for now, but I didn't exactly have any other ideas.

* * *

"Kurapika." I said softly, the gentle rustle of leaves alerting him to my presence about a millisecond before I announced myself. He whipped around, a taut smile forming on his features as he realised he'd been followed this entire time. I raised my small hands in surrender, offering him a light-hearted grin.

"Don't worry, if you were my target I would've taken your tag by now, but I do have an idea that could help us both."

Kurapika had jumped backwards, adopting a defensive position as he wielded his bokken protectively in front of them. Only lowering them slightly, he seemed to regard me with a wariness that I didn't see in the first phase. Wow, he really didn't trust me. I guess I couldn't blame him after I got a piggyback from Hisoka.

"What is it?" Was all he asked, still remaining somewhat crouched, suspicious. I emptied out my pocket to show that I only had a phone on me as I took a step closer, hands constantly on show.

"You've probably realised by now that it's better to work with allies in this phase. I swear to you that I mean no harm, I just want to become a hunter like you." I tried to persuade him using only the truth, using my small stature to appear less threatening. Everything depended on Kurapika warming up to me.

"Then why not approach Gon? He's fonder of you than I am." My face scrunched up in mock offence, holding a hand to my heart in phantom pain. I pouted as I spoke.

"Because Kurapika, you are the only one who can help me, and vice versa." I tapped my head with my other hand, still having a genuinely kind smile on my face. "You see, I'm clairvoyant."

I let the statement hang casually in the air as I saw a flash of scarlet in the shocked eyes in front of me, filling first with disbelief, confusion, before realisation flooded his intelligent features. Kurapika was more than clever enough to put the pieces together when I laid them out so cleanly.

"Is that how you knew our names? I thought it was impossible that you could've heard Gon and Killua's conversation from such a distance." I nodded.

"Was is the same with Mt. Split-In-Half?" Again, I nodded, a flush tinting my cheeks.

"Guilty." I admitted, laughing a little. I saw Kurapika's shoulder unconsciously relax at my open posture.

"It also means that I know that Tonpa is your target, and who he's allied with." My eyes then widened with innocent surprise, flicking my wrist to check my watch. Good, right on cue.

"Oops, we're cutting it a bit thin if we want to save Leorio." His bokken clashed to the floor as he rushed forward, gripping me with one hand under my shirt. I'd barely had time to notice the sudden rage and fear that clouded his expression, the boy practically snarling as his fingers curled tighter around the fabric of my vest. Eesh, if he was any stronger I'd be forced to go topless for the rest of this phase – my clothing wasn't particularly sturdy.

"Where is he?" He demanded, but I remained composed, acting as if being threatened was an everyday nuisance for me. I seemed unflappable as I spoke.

"I'll tell you where he is on one condition." I held his gaze as his intensified, the beginning of murderous fury flowering in the pure eyes of his. I couldn't help but be entranced at such a transformation – these people were more complex than I thought.

But on the other hand, I didn't need to know the future to read Kurapika like a book.

"Anything." He breathed, his grip softening as he let me down, eyes returning to their normal hue. He almost looked embarrassed as he walked back to his weapons, carefully stowing them back in his robes. He knew he'd lost his composure. I didn't let it bother me as I spoke.

"The tag of Tonpa's ally: Sommy. If you promise to hand it to me, I will ensure you and Leorio are safe from their tricks." Kurapika nodded eagerly, realising that every second we wasted on this bargain would only be to his detriment.

"It's a deal." As soon as the words left his lips, I dashed off in Leorio's direction, expecting the Kurta to follow.

* * *

"Don't even think about it, monkey boy." I'd managed to apprehend Sommy and his ugly pet before they reached Leorio's briefcase. I grabbed the guilty creature in question, trying not to cringe as I held it by the scruff of his neck. I didn't want to hurt animals, but I'd need the front for this to work. Kurapika had dashed to Leorio's side protectively, much to the obvious frustration of the older man. Sommy seemed confused, motionless as he was torn between his initial objective of Leorio's tag and his prized familiar.

"Now fellas, this can still be an amicable exchange. Allow me to have your tags, and I won't kill your companion." I said casually as my fingers dug into the animal, its whine echoing off the trees around us.

"You bastard!" Sommy rushed towards me, and I darted back with a frown on my face. I tutted as everyone else stared at our exchange, the two teens showing shock at my savage façade. Whatever, this had to be done. It was an act, after all.

"I wouldn't do that If I were you, you might make me mad." I began lightly, an innocent smile on my face as I continued. "Then I'd have to kill both of you." My voice was disturbingly nonchalant as Sommy blanched, his monkey sweating in my grip. This was surprisingly easy, like slipping into a second skin as I felt myself ooze murderous intent. I was assuming they couldn't tell the difference between me being serious and bluffing. And even if they could, they wouldn't dare take the risk when I was playing with their lives.

"You wouldn't kill us, you're just a kid. I'm outta here Sommy, you're on your own." Tonpa shrugged, having the audacity to turn his back on me. Genuine anger bubbled under my skin. What position did he think he was in? I wasn't finished with the bastard yet – Kurapika needed his tag. Whilst not essential for our deal, it would stop any complications.

"Shall I be taking your tag from your corpse then?" I asked calmly, feeling my anger seeping out of my skin, trailing and snaking towards the old man. Tendrils of my vexation shrouded his large body, eager to cripple the mesh of nerves and stupidity in front of me. It would feel so good to suffocate the arrogance out of his aged body, to see his shoulders hunch and crumple under the sheer force of my will.

It would only be fitting to crush the Rookie Crusher.

The instinct to just let go, to pull the trigger and siphon the life out of him was deliciously unbearable, and I could feel my fingers flexing and jerking at the thought, the monkey's screeches intensifying. How I wanted to hear the very same helpless noises from his disgusting lips.

"Ray, don't. This wasn't part of our deal…" Kurapika began, eyeing me nervously as blood trickled down my fingers. I could barely feel the liquid, briefly forgetting I was holding a hostage.

"He's right, Ray. We can just take his tag now, he's outnumbered." Leorio agreed, the glint of his knife catching my eye as I realised the Doctor was now armed. Had I given it another moment, I could've rationalised that they could ambush Tonpa whilst I held onto the monkey, effectively immobilising Sommy as they took the tags. But I couldn't find the will to care, still directing all of my murderous intent at Tonpa. I could see his breath materialise in front of him as he started to pant silently, fear crawling across his skin. I wanted it to remain etched there, permanently.

I was sure I was still acting.

But it would be so easy to end the life of this worm, although I considered it may not be satisfying in the slightest. Yet the warm, sticky sensation of blood matting in my hair, staining my flesh as I annihilated the body of another would always be an indescribably euphoric feeling, one that struck deep in my core, calling to me like the sweetest siren's song. Even if the fight was not fair, that feeling would still awaken, sparking my whole body into bliss. This was a feeling that resonated with my whole spirit, a hypnotic desire guiding me as I moved. Flashes of memories cycled too fast for me to process as my feet connected with the floor, one after the other, closing in on my prey. This simply felt natural. I only had eyes for one person as excitement pooled in my stomach. I knew exactly what I wanted in that moment.

I wanted to bring death.

* * *

A/N: Wow! You guys are great for leaving reviews, thank you so much! Let me know if you have any questions or queries, although i'm sure they'll be answered soon enough!

Thanks for sticking with this fic :)

~Max


	6. Bloodlust

A/N: before we begin! I accidentally uploaded chapter 4 twice originally, **if you haven't read chapter five, go back now!** :P (my brain is fried, i'm sorry :c )

* * *

Everything was in slow motion.

Tonpa's body was falling forwards, surprise written on his face as his knees buckled. He didn't even have the time to hold his hands out in front of him, head meeting grass with a soft _thump._ He was out cold, and I was frozen mid-step, hand curled and reaching for the older man. What had just happened?

Kurapika was staring at me blankly as he crossed the distance between himself and Tonpa, searching the unconscious man for his tag. He then shoved it into his pocket, focusing on Sommy.

"Your tag, if you could."

I saw Sommy's throat bob as I remained confused, the man swiftly passing his tag to Kurapika. I then recalled I was still holding the monkey, gently putting him down with a rueful smile.

"I really am sorry, I don't like to hurt animals."

The monkey didn't seem to accept my apology, spitting at me and instantly jumping to Sommy's shoulders. However, the attempt to gain space between the rest of us was in vain, for Kurapika's bokken shot out of his hands and impacted with the back of Sommy's head. Like Tonpa, he was out cold. This seemed to snap me out of my trance, slowly exhaling and letting all the tension leave my body.

"S-sorry guys, I'm a pretty scary actor huh?" I laughed nervously, holding my hand out for the tag. Kurapika seemed to approach me like a feral animal as he carefully transferred the badge into my palms. I cocked my head at him in mock disappointment.

"C'mon guys, you don't really think I meant that, did you?" I'd already said to myself when I got here that I wouldn't hurt these people – the fact they were fictional was irrelevant. Besides, this universe was savage enough, why would I want to contribute to that brutality?

But the pair didn't seem convinced, with silence falling on Kurapika. Leorio stared at me with a cacophony of emotions: terror, repulsion, horror clearly on his features. My smile faltered, my voice barely a whisper.

"Wow, I actually scared you guys…" I pinned the second tag next to my own on the inside of my shirt, not wanting to meet their gazes. Exhaustion, dismay suffocated my body as my shoulders hunched over, turning away from the pair. I left them without another comment, shuffling my feet in an attempt to force myself to walk away. I didn't know why I felt so disappointed. I had just been acting, why couldn't they see that?

"Who are you?"

The quiet question jarred me in my tracks, craning my head at the inquiry, refusing to fully face them again. Pale hands were holding a knife, and I watched it shake dangerously as the asker tried to hide his fear in front of me. Composed for once, Kurapika remained by the Doctor's side, bokken no longer drawn. My throat felt raw, achingly dry as I studied the pair. They were the yin to the other's yang, a perfect storm of power. I couldn't help but envy them, just a little.

"I don't know." The answer left my lips before I realised I'd spoken, shoving my hands in my pockets. Kurapika seemed to nod in understanding, whilst the other looked more confused than ever. I couldn't help but give them more advice before I left them behind.

"Even if you don't trust me, you should trust your friends. You will need them for the rest of this phase." I didn't wait for their response as my feet took off into a run, aiming to be anywhere but in front of the pair. My job was done here now, I'd be a hunter in less than a week; I'd done it.

* * *

My mindless running had brought me in front of Hisoka and Illumi, great.

So my legs thought the best way to survive this week was to throw myself into the path of two serial killers? What kind of fucked up body had I been thrown into? Whatever God that was watching over me was clearly a masochist. I tried not to mentally sigh as the dirt Illumi was hiding in shifted, his head poking out of the hole. Hisoka was leaning against a tree, flicking a card casually between his fingers. It was like they'd both been expecting me.

"Someone's riled up~" Hisoka cooed, an eerie grin plastering over his features. I couldn't help but flush, bristling as my body tensed. The low lilt in his tone implied a frustration of an entirely different sort…

"J-Just, one moment." I wheezed, resting my hands on my knees as my body was wracked with both annoyance and breathlessness. I was a trembling wreck. The pair watched me with amusement as I slowly regained my wits.

"Why do you have to make everything sexual?" I mumbled, my fringe stuck to my sweaty forehead. Man, I was out of shape even in this universe. Illumi quirked a brow at his companion, the only sign of his curiousity. Hisoka's light laughter filled the small clearing, disguising his smile behind his hands. His eyes squinted dangerously as he spoke.

"Who said I was being sexual?" He began laughing more, much to my irritation. This guy was a pervert, when was he _not_ sexual? I refrained from articulating this aloud, considering there was something about this situation that I was clearly missing. What was so amusing to them…?

"I'm talking about your bloodlust, Ray-chan. It's simply _divine~"_ He now towered over me, nostrils flaring as he seemed to scent the air. Nothing could've been as disturbing as the purely orgasmic expression that washed over his features in that split second. It was the type of gaze that instantly made you feel like you hadn't washed in a month. Ick.

"Hisoka has a point. You're radiating murderous intent, but it's still a speck compared to us." Illumi stated rather bluntly, and my brow crinkled. I couldn't feel anything of the sort, and I certainly didn't want to kill anyone in that moment. Well, that was a tiny lie - I considered punching the pair so they'd stop fucking with me.

"Bullshit, I'm not falling for that." I said boredly, sticking my lip out in clear disappointment at the two of them. "I know what I feel, and I definitely do not want to spill the blood of another, I never have." Certainty was laced in my tone, the resolve in my heart affirming my beliefs. I'd said it many a time already – I would not hurt anyone here unless I had to. I swore on it.

The guffaws snapped me out of my mini monologue, gritting my teeth together. Hisoka had bent with laughter, body shaking with the perceived hilarity of my words. Even the stoic next to him had cracked a bemused smile, clearly stifling a chuckle of his own.

"What's so fucking funny?" I demanded, huffing. I knew I had no bargaining power, and that they would probably never tell me, but dammit they were getting on my nerves. My body may have instinctively ran to them, but I sure as hell did not want to be mocked like this. Bunch of bastards.

"It's you, my dear. You're just so precious like this. Do you really believe the words you say?" Hisoka asked, and I tried to ignore the black gaze that was currently boring into the corner of my vision. They were both staring now, but it was obvious they still found a lot of amusement in the situation. Did they think it was funny that I had a set of morals they clearly didn't? That's not exactly worthy of such a response from the two…

"Of course I do! _You're_ the strange ones for feeling apathetic towards murder." I emphasised my words by pointing at them incredulously. "Normal people don't want to kill, and they definitely doing feel good about doing it. I'll only hurt someone if my own life is in danger, that's what rational human beings do, unlike you two." I continued to explain, as if telling a five year old that drawing on the walls in permanent marker was unacceptable.

"It's called having a moral code. You think it's what makes humans weak, but it makes us strong. It separates us from animals; it allows for civilisation to prosper and humanity to evolve." I continued to rationalise, seeing the smiles slowly slip from their faces. Good.

"So yes. I fucking meant it when I said I won't draw blood unless I have to, and nobody can change my mind on that." I folded my arms together in finality, revelling in the blissful silence that radiated from the pair. I'd have to store this memory in the front of my mind forever, just so I could remember their blank expressions.

Hisoka hummed, still flipping a card between his fingers. Meanwhile, Illumi was now fully out of the hole, regarding me with clear calculation in his posture. The moments dragged before anyone moved again, and Illumi seemed to come to an internal decision.

"Would you like to know the secret behind oue joke?" He asked nonchalantly, as if he couldn't give a shit if I said yes or no. Knowing him, that was probably the case. But the shots of electricity that were trickling up my arms warned me otherwise, and I found my legs jarred together as he easily closed the distance between us. I could feel the thick sensation of dirt tickling my shoulders before hands planted themselves there. But I didn't feel scared, only suspiciously alert.

I couldn't see his expression as I spoke, considering the man was towering behind me. "Sure, I guess."

A small chortle escaped Hisoka's lips, his eyes focusing elsewhere. The air around us seemed to stagnate, pregnating every moment and making each of Illumi's movements appear incredibly drawn out. I swear I could feel the change in temperature, goose bumps sprouting on my skin as cool lips met my ear. His grip was terse, redness flaring where his fingers met my exposed flesh.

"Even as you speak with such passion, your body craves violence." His light voice drifted deftly into my ears, but everything about his manhandling of me was definitely _not_ gentle. My liquefied body was now moving of its own accord; it took me a moment to realise that he was forcefully pushing me in the direction of the bushes surrounding us. Hisoka hadn't moved an inch, however. I couldn't help but gulp as my muscles were completely paralysed by the bloodthirst oozing from the assassin shoving me. God, being in his presence was utterly _soul destroying._

The bushes rustled as a flash of crimson caught the edges of my vision. An object twitched, clawing for my feet. Illumi was pushing me even closer to it, genuine fear prickling in my heart. What the hell was going on?

I almost toppled forwards as the strong arms suddenly evaporated, reaching forward and yanking said thing out of its cover. I almost vomited right there and then.

A mangled body faced me.

Desperate, crushed eyes met mine. Their hair was shod with blood, and I could've sworn there was far more blood than there should've been. Their skin was stained a horrid ruby, their cracked lips trying to form words. But all I could hear was gurgles, the agonisingly slow heave of their chest as their lungs tried to expand. I was pretty sure they were choking on their own body fluids. And oh fuck – _the smell_ – this was going to be scarred into my brain. The pungent stench of burned flesh mixing with blood was a concoction that would make anyone hurl. But I couldn't, my body was still unresponsive as I took in this disgusting sight in front of me.

Their limbs were contorted on themselves as they limply, meekly reached for my person. Their fingers snapped as they attempted to extend them. It was like I was their last bastion of hope before the gates of hell. The concaves on their ribs made me wonder how they were still alive. My eyes narrowed in absolute horror as I realised that Illumi had done this, and deliberately kept them breathing.

"This girl tried to snipe me earlier, I thought you'd like to finish the job." Illumi said casually, as if he were simply looking at a worm and not another _human life._

"What the fuck is wrong with you? What made you think I'd want to kill her? Did you hear _anything_ I just said!?" I practically screamed at the Zoldyck, my voice the only thing responding to my commands. I was incredulous, furious, absolutely disgusted. It took everything in me not to faint right then and there. If I could've, I would've clenched my fists and let loose at this abominable bastard.

"But she's lying in front of you, it'd be so easy…" He murmured, cold fingers meeting my heated skin. They trailed to under my chin, tipping it up and forcing me to meet his bottomless gaze. I tried to do anything but look at him, but my frozen body would refuse to comply. I glared back at him, pure hatred igniting in my previously icy orbs. My teeth gritted.

"No way in hell." I spat out, my body trembling with my anger. This was so unbelievably fucked up.

"P-Please…" A guttural voice rasped out, barely a whisper as my glare snapped to the sniper. She was staring intently at me – _begging me_ – to end her life. The utter and entire defeat in her eyes told far more than her words ever could. I was the only one who could put her out of her misery here; I knew Illumi and Hisoka would refuse. She was going to have an agonising death, unless I stepped in.

But I didn't want to.

"Ray-chan, your bloodlust is intensifying. It's delicious~" Hisoka's words fell on deaf ears, and I snatched Illumi's hand away from me, batting it away with ease. My whole body was tense as my anger forced me through my previous stillness. Crouching by the dying girl, I swore at the glee I could feel practically _radiating_ off the pair. Illumi's bloodlust was almost suffocating, but not enough to quench the pure fury I had at these two. How dare they treat a life like it's nothing, and how fucking dare they drag me into this shit. To prove what? Absolutely fuck all.

"I'm sorry." My voice was not my own. It was distant, bland as the words tumbled out. My hands numbly circled her throat, vision blurring as my body felt weightless, a marionette on a string. The world seemed far away in that moment, the only thing rousing my senseless core being the story told in her eyes. My fingers clenched.

She looked grateful.

And that feeling – the outrage and indignation wrapped my body in a cocoon, desensitising my skin, a blanket of absolute numbness as the rational side of me shut off. It just had to. My mind was quiet, dulling like the eyes that stared back at me, gratitude etched in that god-damn mangled face of hers. There was nothing peaceful nor poetic about the crunch of her windpipe, the swift second it took for her body to go completely limp. She was definitely dead.

I felt arms prise my hands off the corpse, which were still locked into the position I'd used to murder her. My body allowed itself to be moved as I felt hard oak now pressed against my back. The sticky coating of blood which seemed to cover every available inch of my skin was almost sickeningly comforting. Words were filtering into my ears but I could not find it in me to hear, let alone process them. I was no better than the pair who tried to catch my attention, I was a killer.

The worst part was that I was satisfied.

It was a deep, long dormant urge that had been minutely nibbling at my conscious, but it was totally and utterly silent now. The restlessness had evacuated my body in mere moments. There was no distress, no conflict infesting my heart when I'd crushed her lungs. I'd just done it with no thought whatsoever, my sensibilities well and truly suppressed. No matter how much my rational mind would deny it, the primal instinct burrowed in my soul had enjoyed it, had liked it. Nothing could feel as eerily familiar as being painted in crimson.

The noise was still trying to invade my ears, and my eyes blankly searched for the source. Black eyes found mine, and I robotically tuned in, expression completely devoid of any fragment of feeling.

"I hate you." I droned flatly at the pair, my face drooping, lowering onto my hunched knees. My energy had been completely sapped, I simply did not have the capacity to care or move in that moment.

"No, you don't. Your bloodthirst is sated now." Illumi spoke lightly, almost cheerfully as Hisoka simply snickered. An arm snaked itself around my shoulders as my body remained motionless. I could feel my muscles sagging.

"It's boring to see you so miserable, so how about you pay the price for revealing our joke to you?" Hisoka asked, the dangerous _thwip_ of cards reaching my ears. But still, I was unresponsive.

The arm around me tightened, hot air tickling my ear as the Zoldyck leaned into me. "That sounds like an excellent idea. How about it Ray?"

I knew I should've protested, attempted to run from their presences. But a large part of me was aware it was futile; they'd slice me in half in seconds. It wasn't like I had the moral high ground anymore either. I was simply a murderer, and I didn't even have the excuse of self-defence. I'd just wanted to end her suffering, and cease their goading. They would've absolutely tortured her if they hadn't forced me to step in. In a sick sort of way, I'd gotten the best out of a disgusting situation.

They took my deathly silence as a sign of agreement.

The wet sensation of a tongue circling the shell of my ear was rousing me to full consciousness, shivers flourishing on my skin. My heart almost stopped.

"You see Ray, You won't remember this, but your brothers made a deal with me a long time ago." The stinging of teeth nipping my ear left me hanging intently on his every word; there was no way I couldn't not focus on Illumi. The raven strands of his hair blocked most of my vision, we were like two lovers sharing an intimate moment. His arm felt evermore present whilst it was curled around me. My hunched form opened only slightly.

"Your bloodlust has always been insatiable." He continued to explain, his voice ringing straight into my mind as his arm wound tighter, pulling me flush against his front. My lungs let out a small gasp of surprise at the pure strength in the body that now held me. "So I taught you to harness it, to control it as your greatest weapon." I was powerless in his grip, throat bobbing as I barely managed a swallow. His lips had now travelled to my neck, licking and suckling at the soft skin exposed there. The teasing tug of lips sparked something in my gut that I did _not_ want to think about right now.

"And in return, you are mine."

The strict touches had morphed into caresses, long and slender fingers trailing down my sides, slipping with ease under my black vest. His fingers left a trail of sparks, stirring me out of my auto piloted state in seconds. Each movement was sensuously slow as Illumi's pale hands completely roamed my body. My heart jumped to double speed, any sounds or words of protest instantly dying in my throat. I couldn't help but relax into his touch. It was so deceivingly gentle, but it ignited and unravelled a base need that I didn't even realise I had.

I could feel his body rumbling with his amused laughter, his hands going lower, even lower down my torso, passing my belly button and trailing towards the waistband of my shorts. He was still pressing his lips to my neck, a sharp sting emanating from his mouth as he bit me – _hard._ He continued to tug at the flesh, ensuring he drew blood. I could barely breathe, god, this felt disgustingly good.

He swiftly dipped his hands into my trousers, expertly navigating my body and setting my senses alight. He pierced the smooth flesh of my thighs with his fingernails, easily scratching and tearing small ribbons into them. The back of my mind reasoned that this should've hurt, that I should be in pain. But all I could feel was absolute pleasure at his masterful actions. Whilst there was nothing affectionate about this exchange, the possessiveness, the dominance that radiated from the assassin forced me to submit. Even if I wanted to, I could not fight this. The assault on my senses had no end in sight, and my whole body was panting, heaving, shaking. Sweat began to gather on my forehead, flares of arousal pooling in my stomach and branching across my body. Every sinew of my being was captivated.

"Do you understand?" A husky voice breathed at me. I found just enough strength to nod, his fingers clawing deeper. He was still biting my neck, marking me as his possession. I had no strength nor desire to protest. My vision was beginning to fade as my body completely succumbed, a low groan escaping my throat. It was guttural and raw, desperate even. His actions became more fervent, more insistent as he massaged the inside of my thighs, still teasing. It was so overwhelmingly arousing that the need inside of me keened for attention, for release. I didn't want to be played with anymore.

"He's about to go again~" Hisoka cooed. The tiny part of me that wasn't totally pliant under Illumi's touch was confused. Illumi's motions suddenly stopped, his hands resting on my thighs still. Disappointment was evident in his tone.

"That's a shame." He withdrew, and my hands reached back for him, my body searching for his. Wanting more, not wanting him to stop, not wanting him to _ever_ stop. I was a desperate man, and he'd left me high and dry.

A small flare of understanding hit me as my body tumbled forward, the support that had been keeping me upright no longer behind me. In that one instant, I plummeted into unconsciousness. The black-haired assassin had caught me just before my face connected with the grass, an amused smile gracing his features.

I was so fucked.

* * *

A/N: this was the last of my pre-written chapters btw - i apologise if my updates are a bit more inconsistent, i'm doing a full-time degree at the same time as writing this, eek!

Let me know what you think of Ray! and as always, thank you all for your support and reviews! They're fab.

~Max


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